"Skyway Set to Close" Nov 1999 (20 Years Ago)

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Looking through this site's news archive I found the following bits about the Skyway closing...

From Nov 9 1999:

"We have word from a good source that the Skyway at Magic Kingdom will cease operation today - for good. More details as we have it."

Then the following day:

"It's part of our ongoing efforts to phase out some of the older attractions and introduce new things to keep our parks exciting for our new and repeat visitors," Walt Disney World spokesman Diane Ledder said Tuesday. "It's just something whose time has come."

"Certainly, it was one of the older rides," Ledder said. "This was based on our guest evaluations and our desire to renew things and keep them fresh."

Disney has plans to make use of the space taken up by both the Fantasyland station, and the Tomorrowland stations - but what are they?"


Who would have guessed those "new things" would be bathrooms for BOTH stations back then? Or that it would take over a decade to make that happen?

These photos were taken November 14, 1999, almost exactly 20 years ago:

 

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
We were unfortunate to have never taken a ride on the Skyway. I know their reasoning for taking it away and its too bad they hadnt originally used enclosed cars like they are using now on the new system. I so enjoy riding the TTA, Astro Orbiter, and Splash, to get a glimpse of parts of MK from on high. Maybe someday they will make it back ?? ( Yeah, not realistic but just a dream. ) I dont think there would be as long a time to rescue guests that need evacuation. And no problem of gators lurking underneath hoping for a quick bite.
 

mergatroid

Well-Known Member
We were unfortunate to have never taken a ride on the Skyway. I know their reasoning for taking it away and its too bad they hadnt originally used enclosed cars like they are using now on the new system. I so enjoy riding the TTA, Astro Orbiter, and Splash, to get a glimpse of parts of MK from on high. Maybe someday they will make it back ?? ( Yeah, not realistic but just a dream. ) I dont think there would be as long a time to rescue guests that need evacuation. And no problem of gators lurking underneath hoping for a quick bite.

If they were to ever return, it would be interesting to see if people on here were consistent? What I mean by this is that you could plainly see the not so magical parts of the Magic Kingdom whilst riding them. This included backstage areas and the show buildings for several rides including HM, IASW and 20,000 Leagues (along with the submarine track). It never bothered me personally but for some on here the meltdown could send them over the edge.
 

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
....And close to 20 years later - viola....we'll take another stab at it. At a larger scale.
Well, that's appropriate, because a viola is a bit larger scale...
1573955053462.png
 

PeoplemoverTTA

Well-Known Member
My brother was a Skyway CP the day the poor CM died. He came in later that day and ended up greeting FL attractions the rest of the semester. He was so sad when it closed permanently.
 

wolfeman

Member
I remember being at the park that day. The day before sky ride was there next all taken down. As a 20 something year old not believing how fast it was removed.
 

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
It's hard to describe the significance of the Skyway to those who first visited the parks after it closed.

The original Disneyland version opened in 1956, one year after the rest of the park, and was popular enough to make it an opening day ride at both The Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland. I forget why Euro Disneyland was built without one, but either cost or weather may have been a consideration.

You could write off the experience now as breaking the park's theme or not being unique, but it was more like the Railroad. A way of getting around that gave the park another kind of kinetics, but from a different perspective. MK's version lacked the iconic trip through the Matterhorn, but by crossing the park the way it did it gave great views of the Castle, 20,000 Leagues and other sites.

The Disneyland version closed in 1994, followed by Tokyo in 1998 and then WDW in 1999. Cost cutting was the main reason, but the fatal accident in Florida made it that much easier to justify its closure.

It's weird to look back on things like it and the Keelboats and remember that they were around for decades, in multiple parks, but are now gone long enough that a generation of Disney fans (or anyone who first visited post 2000) have no idea they were ever there. It's a shame because they're the kind of simple, but appealing rides that don't get built by the company much anymore.
 

Hank Hill

Well-Known Member
I never got to see the skyway in person. First time I saw pics I was kind of shocked something like that was ever in the park. As a kid, I remember that type of ride from the state fair where I lived and kind of associated it with that type of place. Not that fairs are bad, just kind of like going to Fun Spot after a day at Disney... they both can be enjoyable, but different. I am a little surprised so many people think of it fondly.
 

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